Sunday, July 17, 2005

Crossed Fingers Vs. Folded Hands

This word is credited when a winning shot is made, a car barely misses someone, and even when comparing someone's status to another's. It is a word that describes everyday happenings as chance. The word I'm describing is "luck".

If, as Christians, we believe that God controls everything, and that He will take care of us, then how can the events in our lives be caused by chance? In the past, I used to credit luck as the reason why certain things happened. I never meant to give luck the credit, it was just a word that I used. One day, I found myself feeling convicted of giving credit to something that is defined by chance and does not describe God's ultimate power over everything.

Proverbs 16:33 says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD." A "lot" was an object that was used to decide a matter by chance - today's equivalent would be drawing straws. This verse shows us that even though to us we may see something as chance, God has control over every situation and its final outcome.

I no longer use "luck" to describe certain situations in my life. Instead, I use "blessed" because it expresses action and communicates that God is behind everything that happens. It is easy to credit chance as the cause for things, but we must remember that "every decision is from the LORD". Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, pray to God and ask for His favor in the situations you face. Remind yourself throughout the day that God has power over everything and that nothing is left to chance.